Yes, you want it. What you lose is the full capabilities of the hardware system, controlled by the NEC software.

Would one of those capabilities include making the display automatically switch to a lower contrast ratio when using a specific icc profile for a specific paper. For example, If my plan is to print on Epson Hot Press, which has a contrast ratio of 45:1, will the NEC software switch the monitor to a lower CR, say 200:1, if I set it up to do so? Or does the monitor stay at 1000:1 at all times?

Is it really that beneficial to spend the $90 and get the SpectraView II software for profiling it?

Yes...penny wise, pound foolish...The SpectraView software is the only way to calibrate the display in full 10-bit/channel internally. Without the direct connection that SpectraView software you are starting at 8-bit and calibrating the display in 8-bit which when loaded as a LUT will mean that the display will be less accurate. Bite the bullet and do the right thing, your images deserve it, don't you think?

Yes...penny wise, pound foolish...The SpectraView software is the only way to calibrate the display in full 10-bit/channel internally. Without the direct connection that SpectraView software you are starting at 8-bit and calibrating the display in 8-bit which when loaded as a LUT will mean that the display will be less accurate. Bite the bullet and do the right thing, your images deserve it, don't you think?

Does this greater accuracy matter when the images will be viewed in smaller color spaces such as sRGB or for CMYK printing, or is this only an issue for inkjet printing and the like, which will typically be done with larger color spaces?

Also, why does the xRite software not offer the same accuracy? It is supposed to be designed to profile a wide variety of monitors. Is the 10 bit/channel capability a rare one among monitors? Is there other xRite software that does offer this capability and similar accuracy to the NEC software, and that would also work on other monitors with the same capability, which the NEC software would not, being proprietary to the NEC monitors?

Does this greater accuracy matter when the images will be viewed in smaller color spaces such as sRGB or for CMYK printing, or is this only an issue for inkjet printing and the like, which will typically be done with larger color spaces.

Yes...look, when you take an 8-bit display and then do a calibration plus profile, the end result is less than 8-bits/channel precision–which leads to banding (particularly in the shadows) and less accurate color. This is the whole reason why a 10-bit display pipeline is so important–better accuracy. While a full 10-bit/channel is only available on Windows and CS5 and above, the key to the NEC and EIZO displays is the internal to the display is a 10-bit/channel calibration before profiling. That makes a potentially big difference. Why buy a display that can calibrate internally in 10-bits and then fail to use the software to be able to control the internal calibration? And no, X-Rite can't control the internal calibration in 10-bits...all it can do is calibrate in 8-bit with the luts which is less good.

Also, why does the xRite software not offer the same accuracy? It is supposed to be designed to profile a wide variety of monitors. Is the 10 bit/channel capability a rare one among monitors? Is there other xRite software that does offer this capability and similar accuracy to the NEC software, and that would also work on other monitors with the same capability, which the NEC software would not, being proprietary to the NEC monitors?

So, the benefits of the greater bit depth are only available when using Photoshop, not Lightroom, or am I misunderstanding something? And, the maximum benefit is only available with Photoshop andWindows, not with Apple OSX, which is what I have (10.8.4).

So, the benefits of the greater bit depth are only available when using Photoshop, not Lightroom, or am I misunderstanding something? And, the maximum benefit is only available with Photoshop andWindows, not with Apple OSX, which is what I have (10.8.4).

No...you still don't get it. When calibrating (setting the white point and gamma), only displays that have internal communications that can deal with the calibration in 10-bits precision can take advantage of this potential. X-Rite can't communicate with the display internals...only the display software can.

There is a difference in having a 10-bit calibration and a 10-bit pipeline (as provided by Windows and Photoshop CS5 and above). Don't confuse the differences...

As far as I know, only NEC and EIZO offer a 10-bit calibration process...before making the final profile. That's the value you get from the SpectraView software–direct display control in 10-bit/channel precision. Other than NEC and EIZO, all other displays start at 8-bit and only get worse after calibration...that's what you get with X-Rite (or other non-display connected software).

No...you still don't get it. When calibrating (setting the white point and gamma), only displays that have internal communications that can deal with the calibration in 10-bits precision can take advantage of this potential. X-Rite can't communicate with the display internals...only the display software can.

There is a difference in having a 10-bit calibration and a 10-bit pipeline (as provided by Windows and Photoshop CS5 and above). Don't confuse the differences...

As far as I know, only NEC and EIZO offer a 10-bit calibration process...before making the final profile. That's the value you get from the SpectraView software–direct display control in 10-bit/channel precision. Other than NEC and EIZO, all other displays start at 8-bit and only get worse after calibration...that's what you get with X-Rite (or other non-display connected software).

You are also getting full control over the electronics in the panel using their software. Set one (or many) target calibrations and walk away to calibrate without having to adjust any buttons or settings. Load one (or a differing) calibration target and the software loads that and the associated ICC profile for you. Without SpectraView, the hardware is providing you less functionality, you're crippling it.

I guess it is because there is a limited number of monitors offering this capability and those manufacturers offer their own software, so why should xrite bother? By the way, will Eizo's propriety software also work with the xrite puck?

After rummaging around the factory service menu of my 32" Samsung HDTV entering a code number on the remote I found online, I can understand why it would take some sophisticated software to tune the internal electronics of a display.

That service menu was an endless series of nested color/gamma/WB adjustments that seemed to go on forever. Guess whatever Samsung used at the factory to tune the darn thing did a bang up job because when I calibrated and profiled it with the ColorMunki Display attached to my Mac Mini, the resulting RGB video card LUT viewed in Colorsync Utility was a clean, flat line with no wrinkles on all three channels. I've never seen that happen on the four 8 bit internal LUT computer displays I've used past and present.

So yeah, I'ld have to assume software is king when it comes to tuning electronically proprietary internal 10 bit LUTs on a display.